Sony has announced that the PS Vita will now be selling at a discounted price in Japan. From the 28th of February it will sell for 19,980 yen, both the Wi-Fi and 3G models. That means that the Wi-Fi model is cut by a fifth, and the 3G model loses a third of its price tag.

The Sony handheld has not been a huge success in terms of outright profit, even with sales numbers relatively high. The investment into research and development has not yet yielded great dividends for investors, which leaves many worried about the longevity of the “AAA” gaming industry. This, of course, refers to the big budget games and studios, spending millions of dollars on the development of a single game. The world of mobile gaming on smartphones and tablets has slowly but surely eroded the money spent on expensive titles.

Buyers of the discounted PS Vita will be able to take advantage of a 1-week trial of Playstation Plus along with promotions for the Playstation Store and also Reader ebook store. As of yet we have no details of price cuts in other parts of the world, but they are likely to follow soon. It could even be as soon as the 20th of February, where Sony has organized a media meeting. It is widely expected that the Japanese company will unveil the Playstation 4.